Remembering: A central theme in Biblical worship

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Mar 2000 by Merrill, Eugene H

c. Gad remembers acts and deeds. God also responds to human action by remembering it. Positively, the psalmist prays on behalf of the king, "May he [Yahweh] remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings" (Ps 20:4 [3]). This is in a worship context and is suggestive of the part that remembrance plays there from the divine standpoint. 10 He remembers human worship because it brings him pleasure. But God also remembers wickedness Speaking of Judah Jeremiah says, "he [Yahweh] will now remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins" (Jer 14:10). Hosea notes that Yahweh is not pleased with the offerings of his people and, in fact, "will remember their wickedness and punish their sins" with the result that they will go back to Egypt (Hos 8:13). The divine memory here translates into divine retribution.

2. Remembering as human response. If worship is initiated by the God who remembers, it finds full expression in the response of God's people who also are called upon to remember. In fact, it is precisely in remembering that a basis for worship exists, for it is God and his works that must be brought to mind regularly and repeatedly as objects of contemplation and celebration. But again, it is not recollection in the abstract; true worship demands participation by reciprocal act and even by reenactment. This at least is the picture that emerges from a survey of the Biblical witness. The following are the ways the believer and/or the believing community is called upon to remember.

a. The worshiper remembers God. Fundamental to Israel's faith was the recognition and recollection that Yahweh was Israel's God. At the very outset of the covenant relationship at Sinai the Lord had said, "wherever I cause my name to be honored ('azkir, lit. "cause to be remembered"), I will come to you and bless you" (Exod 20:24). To remember the name is, of course, to remember God.ll And this remembrance is here at least connected to specific places of God's own choosing.

Deuteronomy is particularly rich in this respect. Moses enjoins Israel to "Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observer [all the covenant requirements]" (Dent 8:11). To the contrary, they must remember him, for it is he who confirms his covenant by giving "the ability to produce wealth" (8:18). Moreover, if they do forget him-which is described as following and worshiping other gods-they will perish (8:19). 12 To remember is to be obedient in loyalty and worship. The linkage between remembering Yahweh and worshiping him is also established by David who chides those who trust (hizkir, lit. bring to mind) chariots and horses rather than Yahweh their God (Ps 20:7 [8]). The same psalmist declares that "all the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord . . . [and] bow down before him" (Ps 22:27 [28]). Remembering again implies submission and undivided loyalty.

An interesting connection between remembering and the whole apparatus of community worship and praise occurs in 1 Chr 16:4: "He [David] appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to make petition [lehazkir, lit. "to bring to mind," that is, to invoke God]. . . ."13 Jeremiah said he would no longer mention ( ezkerennu, lit. "bring to remembrance") the Lord as a prophet, but the word of God burning in his very bones gave him no such option (Jer 20:9). Ta remember false gods is to worship them, as Joshua makes clear. "Do not invoke (lo' tazkiru, lit. `do not bring to mind') the names of [false] gods . . . [and do] not serve them (lo' ta`abdum) or bow dawn to them (lo' tistahawic lahem)" (Josh 23:7). "To serve" and "to bow down" are, of course, standard terms for worship. 14